T's Publishing Party

Talmage is officially an author as of last weeks publishing party. He wrote an entertaining story about when he and Everett decorated the Christmas tree, and both text and illustrations were top notch. He was excited to have ALL of us in his classroom (Daddy took the morning off of work and Quinn was on her best baby behavior). His class sang us a song, T made Miss Steiner and Miss Denise hold his new baby (she cried, the cute little stinker), we ate treats, and overall just had a great morning. We couldn't ask for a better teacher or better class for our Talmage-boy!

Charlie Brown Christmas, Live at the Lyceum

It was another fabulous year of watching Charlie Brown and all his Peanut friends find the true meaning of Christmas at the Lyceum Theater in Brooklyn. Last year, my little boys matched their alter-egos Charlie Brown and Lynus on accident. But this year, oh this year, those two were planning out their outfits all week! They laughed their heads off through the whole performance but mostly they were excited to take a picture with the actors after it was over. These are the same Charlie Brown and Lynus from last year and they made our boys feel like a million bucks. This is one of our favorite Christmas traditions, one I hope to continue for a long time to come. Last years pictures: HERE

 

And of course a large portion of the fun is taking the "above ground" train to Brooklyn. We basically ride subways for a living but in the sunlight they are so much cooler, right? And on our way back to the train after the show T said, "I'm thankful for all the artists in Brooklyn that color all over the walls." That's graffiti kid, and technically it's illegal! {We didn't tell him that, because so many times it is super awesome!}

Sicky Quinny

I feel like all of my posts lately start out the same. Here it is: "I really wanted to write the other day but I couldn't because my baby was screaming, my toddler was hungry and my big boy had to be at play practice, but today I'm finally going to allow myself a second to write. Amen." Am I right? I said, am I right? (Charlie Brown reference anyone?) Well, so, I guess it's Groundhog Day because that's exactly how I was feeling again today. Like, gosh wouldn't it be nice if I had time to write more often so that when I actually sat down to write I didn't have to apologize to myself, to my creativity and to all of you (ehem, Mom) for not writing. New Year Resolution maybe? Yes, that and train my baby to fall asleep without deep-knee bounces. And limit my intake of Oreo's.

The real time-suck lately has been that my kids can't seem to catch a break in the sickness department. I mean, I was just barely seeing the light return back to Everett's eyes after our "Welcome to Flu Season" Thanksgiving and then, wham! he was sick again and Quinn wasn't far behind. Our house is full of nebulizers, humidifiers, saline drops and snot-suckers and I'm juggling more ear infections than I have children. Quinn was finally diagnosed with RSV and croup, a dangerous combination for a 2 month old that has led to daily doctors appointments and trips to pharmacies all over town to find the perfect medications and tools to heal her. It's been really scary because she gags and chokes and coughs until she is blue in the face and her eyes start bugging out of her head, and then she whimpers and cries in exhaustion and fear. I must admit, a few nights ago I was up every few minutes with her and instead of being grumpy that I was up again, I was grateful that she was still alive and that we weren't yet in the hospital. A little personal to share in this space, maybe, but that's the truth. It's been a stressful and scary week, but she just started a new round of antibiotics and already I think she's on the up and up. And Everett, our sicky pro, is loving the perks that come along with illness, namely lots of juice and lots of movies! Hopefully this round of antibiotics will slay those ear bugs for good. Talmage has somehow stayed healthy, and miraculously so have I. May the force continue to be with us!

So...there you go. Life lately at the Wiggy abode has clearly been quite glamorous! Lucky for us we live in a pretty great city and as long as Quinny's being carried she's a decent adventurer so we've still had our share of Christmas fun (which maybe sometime mid-January I'll get around to documenting!) In the meantime, I'm just feeling awfully grateful for so many things and awfully hopeful that we'll all be healthy again soon. And of course, here are this week's favorite Quinn-pics:

One of these days getting medication for my children won't require hours (3 1/2 to be exact) of walking from pharmacy to pharmacy (5 to be exact) in the cold, subway trips during rush hour, or being yelled at on the street for not having a hat on Ever's head. But then again, one of these days I won't have this pretty view as my amoxicillin is being filled! Also, how cute is it to see Quinn's name on the Pharmacist's board.

 The picture on the left is more realistic, but the picture on the right is so elfishly cute!

 My doctor wants Quinn to sleep in the car seat so that she can be elevated when she coughs. Lucky for all of us she wouldn't dream of sleeping anywhere else. Except my arms of course! And that picture on the right? Just Quinny enjoying her sauna.

 

 It's no secret that Quinn is a crier, but I must admit that lately we have been enjoying small moments of cooing and smiling before the next screaming storm. She is just the cutest baby and the amount of love I have for her is more than words can express. Each time I have a baby I think that there has never been a baby more loved in all the world, and since there are more people in our family to love them, I guess that's true. That sweet Quinny-girl, gosh she's good.

my little boys

My boys need their Mama, that's what I'm realizing more and more lately. Talmage sat at the dinner table earlier this week in tears because, in his words, "ever since September we just don't get to spend any time together." September = the start of school and yes, time has been stretched thin since then. Throw in a new sister who is a fussy-pants baby and I can see how he misses me because frankly I miss him too.

And then this morning I had to wipe the tears from Everett's round cheeks as he cried, "I don't want to gwow up. I want to wiv wif you fowevah. I onwy want to get mawwied wif you mommy." This, in response to my playful rule that he wasn't allowed to get bigger. He understood that it was a joke, but the reality of age and time were not lost on him. He spent many years as my baby and I think a part of him will always want that role.

Time is moving at a dizzy-fast pace and all I want is for more alone time with T and for Ev to get his wish of staying little forever. I love these boys till it hurts, and I'm trying everyday to help them feel how special they are.

Left: Our dark selfie from a field trip to the Big Apple Circus. /// Right: Brownie batter licking Ever.

T's class, Where's Waldo anyone?

These two created the grandest of gingerbread villages!

Left: Ev's first snow feelings. /// Right: T's first snow feelings.

They requested a picture next to Paddington in the subway. They can't wait to see this movie!

After months and months of {sometimes} patiently waiting, T was the star name at school. Their class figured out that his name has one word, two syllables and he can spell the words tale, a and age with letters in his name. He was beaming when he came home!

Oh Christmas Tree

 

We've come a long way in the Christmas tree department.  When the delivery man showed up at our door with a gorgeous 6 foot Frasier Fir (from a killer deal we scored on Groupon) I couldn't help but think about all the trees our family has shared since we've been married. We were living in England for Talmage's first Christmas and boy, were we ever poor. We couldn't afford a Christmas tree, we could barely even afford to feed ourselves, so we picked up some branches from the local tree lot, taped them to a lamp shade, and decorated it with a paper chain. I still love the pictures of that "tree." The next year I was pregnant with Everett during the holiday season and sick as a dog. It was black Friday, I had thrown up every ounce of our Thanksgiving dinner and I desperately needed some holiday cheer so we braved Target in the Bronx (which we had nicknamed Armageddon Target on a good day, you can imagine what it was like on black Friday!) and bought the cheapest artificial, pre-lit tree in the place. It was magical when we got that thing set up. It was just last year that we found two mini Christmas trees on the streets in Sayville, New York and called it good in the tree department. Not an ornament could fit on it's branches but our boys were ecstatic! We've had years with fake trees and years with no trees and Christmas has still been magical and full of cheer and amazing, but this year I really, really wanted a real tree. I wanted to smell the pine needles and army crawl under it (like my mom used to do) with a pitcher to water it and I wanted big, full branches to hang all of our precious ornaments. Every year has been great and I always say it was the best yet, and I'm sure this year will be no exception! 

And now, since this is my first year with a real tree and I'm feeling kind of like an adult all of a sudden, here is a little bit of the evolution of our tree (because I know you care, right?!):

The tree came in the morning and I was so worried that it was going to die that I borrowed a saw from our Super, sawed off the branches near the bottom, set up our stand and put the tree inside. I felt like such a pioneer woman after that, let me tell you!

I could barely stand it and started hanging lights immediately. This is the tree with four strands. I made a trip to Bed Bath and Beyond right after this picture was taken because holy Hannah my tree needed two more strands of lights!

We decorated the tree that night with some new baubles that Talmage picked out at the store, plus all of our special family ornaments. The boys asked so many questions about each ornament and it was such a fun, festive night together talking about our Christmas memories. We blasted Christmas music, ate chocolate and popcorn, and when the tree was finished the boys put the star on top.

I feel like all I have done since the tree has been up is take pictures of the tree. I'm obsessed! I want pictures in every light and from every angle. I want close-ups of ornaments and close-ups of the pine needles and you wouldn't believe how fast your phone can fill up with Christmas tree pictures when you really love your Christmas tree. And I do, in fact, REALLY love this tree. For your viewing pleasure, there are two pictures of my tree above: by day and by night. If you want sunrise, dusk or any other camera angle just let me know and I'll text it right over!

Radio City Christmas SPECTACULAR!!!

Seeing the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall has been holding the top spot on my NYC Christmas Bucket List for ages, and this year we decided to splurge and go to the show. When they say spectacular, they are not kidding. The show was phenomenal. We scored buy one get one free tickets, so it was the price of a date night for the best double date imagined--me and all three of my boys! There is nothing like Christmas in New York City and this show was the absolute perfect way to kick off the season.

We had four chairs, but the boys ended up sitting on our laps for most of the show so that we could all be snug and together--it was nice to be able to give them so much attention. Every detail of the show was holiday perfection, but I must admit that watching Everett's face light up and hearing T's squeals of delight were the best parts of the show for me. Even some of the people sitting around us were chuckling over T saying, "Whoa! Those Rockettes must practice so much because they are perfect!" or Everett saying, "Dis is da best show I ever saw. Fanks Mom and Dad!" The curtain had barely closed after the last number and the boys were thanking us and planning the next time we'd be attending the show (which if it were up to them would be tomorrow!)

We took a few more pictures and grabbed a Jamba Juice before heading home, taking back the Quinny reins, and putting those chickens to bed WAY after bedtime. Such a great night!

Thanksgiving and Stuff...

I left the house today sans winter coat as straight-up freezing rain was falling in sheets outside our window and didn't realize I was in nothing but a tee until we left our apartment, took the elevator down five floors, raced through the lobby and squeezed through two sets of double doors at the entrance of our building. And then I was all, "Brrrr!" Does that clue you in to my mental status as of late? But surprise surprise I was running late for school pick-up so on I went and frozen I was as a screaming Quinn and a whining Ever Knight accompanied me in the stroller. That I was pushing. In freezing rain. With no coat. (Seems like maybe those were my tears they were shedding?)

Mostly I'm feeling good about my life these days: I eat a lot of chocolate Cheerio's to mask my sleep deprivation, I nurse Netflix at night--eh hem--I nurse and watch Netflix at night (you name it, I've watched it friends) and every time I hear Everett say, "I just wuv you my Quenny Guhl" I think my heart might burst. Oh, and it's Christmastime which straight up rocks in NYC. The best, I tell ya! We are scheduled silly every day this month and I'm giddy as an elf...were an elf to be giddy. But that darn pick-up that coincides with nap time and the whole mean mom "Put on your shoes before leaving the house for pick-up because it's actually freezing outside" thing, that's not one of the hottest moments of my day. Suggestions to make that stink less are welcome.

And now, for the real reason Quinny and I sat down to blog today (did you really think she was out of my arms? Not a chance!): our Thanksgiving week in California recap!!! Each day of our trip was filled to the brim with meaningful, miraculous, beautiful moments that deserve posts upon posts of their own but alas, I've got Cheerio's to eat, Netflix to watch and oh yeah, a baby to nurse so this post right here is our one-stop shop for all things Thanksgiving.

Let's start this little stroll down memory's lane by painting a picture of two little boys in construction paper turkey hats and one sweet baby girl (first flight, what! what!) boarding a plane with cheesy smiles on their faces. Cute, right? Right! Maybe I should just trick ya'll into thinking that it ended there and my kids weren't the ones screaming bloody murder for 5 of the 6 hour flight. No, I wasn't the mom walking the plane isle with a hysterical 3-year-old; nor was I the mom begging anyone (ANYONE!) for Children's tylenol because mine was packed away. My baby Quinn is known for her calm and quiet demeanor you know, so she surely was not fussing, fussing, FUSSING and through it all, that was not my 5-year-old yelling, "You two are being so annoying!" The people sitting by us on the plane you might ask? They definitely weren't getting drunk on Vodka (bring me another! and another!) to drown out the commotion we were causing. Nope. Boys in homemade hats and a grinning Quinn--that's what we're going to remember!

Saturday was my baby brother's wedding and let me tell you, nothing makes you feel older than seeing your baby brother tie the knot. In my mind Chase might be 11 for life and an 11-year-old getting hitched? Well now can't you see why it was so weird for me?! My new sister-in-law Meghan is adorable, their wedding was wonderful and I'm just really grateful that I could be there to share it with these two baby lovebirds!

Sunday was the prettiest of fall days in Sacramento and it turned out to be the perfect day to bless baby Quinn. James gave her a beautiful blessing and it was so special to have so many family members there to celebrate her life. It was made even more memorable because her cousin Lincoln was blessed on the same day.

Our little family of five. FIVE!

All the attendee's except for Jord, Mad and Lucy (left early to make the long drive back to Utah), Papa (meetings), Pepa (meetings) and Noni and Grandpa (where did they go and why aren't they in my picture?!)

James joked that this might be the most righteous weekend of our lives. Saturday a wedding, Sunday a blessing and Tuesday a baptism!!! We were so very, very excited when Jim's mom decided she wanted to be baptized and asked James to baptize her while we were home for Thanksgiving. James and Carolyn gave beautiful talks, the treats were delish (Nothing Bundt Cupcakes for the win!) and the fact that his mom is now a member of our church is amazing. I'm so grateful that she has found a happy, comfortable and peaceful place in the church. We love her!

It's a McKee family tradition to go to Apple Hill the day after Thanksgiving every year. BUUTTT...it turns out tickets to and from New York are outrageous and the little Wig's had to peace out on Thanksgiving night (red eye, don't feel bad, we ate LOTS of turkey) so we went to Apple Hill the day before Thanksgiving. Other than not having our traditional turkey sandwich picnic the day was a rousing success. Photo dump here:

This post has turned out to be WAY longer than expected and let's just say that my Quinny arm is falling asleep and my typing fingers are not so far behind. So...here are the 3 lonesome pictures I took on Thanksgiving. Dinner at both families homes were fabulous, mostly because we were surrounded by so many people that we love.

Papa with Quinn and Honey with Quinn

 

Uncle Buck deserves his own post. Shoot, Uncle Buck deserves the world! And the world (and us Wig's) are lucky, blessed and so grateful to have an Uncle Buck! Let me tell ya,Uncle Buck made who knows how many different kinds and batches of homemade ice cream because he wanted everyone to feel special and have the flavor they loved the most; this included green mint chip for Talmage and spiderman ice cream for Everett. Uncle Buck visited three ice cream stores, did hours of research and ended up making my boys think they were the most special people in the world by giving them their own batch of ice cream. And that spiderman ice cream was incredible--blue and red vanilla with chocolate swirls and pop rocks. And with that, happy Thanksgiving!